Art & Design

Ellsworth Kelly, Yellow Relief over Red, 2004. Oil on canvas, two joined panels, 80 x 83 x 2 3/4 inches. Private collection.

Arts

Artist Ellsworth Kelly, Master Of Colorful Abstraction, Dies At 92

9:32pm December 27, 2015

by Neda Ulaby

Kelly was recognized as one of the greatest American artists of the 20th century. He died Sunday afternoon, leaving behind pieces in nearly every major museum of modern art.

It's Hard To Say What African Design Is, But It Sure Is Stunning

4:56pm December 27, 2015

by Vicky Hallett

"Making Africa" at the Guggenheim Bilbao has dazzling portraits, strange videos and weird-looking glasses.

Modern Seminole patchwork makes use of glittery fabrics and sequins, especially for pageant nights.

A Princess In Patchwork: Sewing For The Miss Florida Seminole Princess Pageant

5:16pm December 26, 2015

by Jacki Lyden

The Miss Florida Seminole Princess Pageant features intricate outfits that combine traditional Seminole patchwork techniques with modern twists, like rayon and lace.

Arts

With Artist Frank Stella, What You See Is What You See

8:29am December 26, 2015

by Karen Michel

Early in his career, Stella's goal was to not depict anything. In 1958, he notoriously achieved that. Since then, Stella has continued to push the possibilities of his art.

Artist Rogan Brown's paper sculptures are many times larger than the organisms that inspire them. Magic Circle Variation 5 is approximately 39 inches wide by 39 inches tall in its entirety. Brown has created multiple versions of Magic Circle, the shape of

Is This Snowy Wonderland Or The World Inside A Petri Dish?

5:26am December 25, 2015

by Meredith Rizzo

Artist Rogan Brown peers into the invisible worlds of microbes, then uses their forms as the inspiration for large paper sculptures that seem at once familiar and profoundly alien.

Why Does Santa Live In The North Pole? A Political Cartoonist's Vision

4:18pm December 24, 2015

NPR's Ari Shapiro interviews historian Fiona Halloran about the origins of placing Santa in the North Pole.

Each time a different natural dye is added to the fabric for a Good Earth pillow or quilt, it's rinsed, then laid to dry in the sun.

From Indian Villages To West Elm Shelves: Handmade Crafts Go High-End

3:36pm December 24, 2015

by Esha Chhabra

That $2,300 rug with a faded floral pattern at West Elm? The $50 picture frame made of bone at Bloomingdale's? Both handcrafted by artisans in India.

The two control cabs at the Stockholm Arlanda Airport symbolize two ravens from Nordic mythology that were tasked with watching over the earth.

Arts

Prepare For Takeoff: Smithsonian Celebrates The Art Of The Airport Tower

2:04pm December 21, 2015

by Susan Stamberg

Photographer Carolyn Russo says these beacons of the landscape serve as "cultural greeters." Her dramatic photographs are on display at the Air and Space museum in Washington, D.C.

Queue Listen Now

In his 1942 mural The Underground Railroad, Woodruff shows slaves about to cross the Ohio River to freedom.

Arts

With Powerful Murals, Hale Woodruff Paved The Way For African-American Artists

8:04am December 19, 2015

by C.J. Janovy

The pioneering African-American artist and teacher is the subject of not one but two exhibitions in Kansas City. His great nephew Shawn Hughes remembers him as reserved but with "an awesome presence."

The Graffiti Education and Mural Arts program in San Diego aims to keep kids off the streets — and maybe even make art like this, an example of the famous chicano artists murals found on a series of freeway overpasses, someday.

Preventing Juvenile Detention With A Blank Canvas And A Can Of Spray Paint

7:05pm December 18, 2015

by Quinn Owen

San Diego County is successfully revamping its juvenile justice system: The number of children in detention is down by nearly half from just six years ago. How are kids diverted from a life of crime?

Queue Listen Now